Competency and confidence in ECG interpretation among medical students

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Cardiology
• Diagnostic Skills

Background:

• Electrocardiogram (ECG) interpretation is a fundamental skill for medical professionals.
• Assessing competency and confidence in ECG interpretation among medical students is essential for ensuring adequate clinical preparedness.
• Previous studies highlight variability in ECG interpretation skills among trainees.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the competency and confidence levels in ECG interpretation among medical students across different years of study.
• To identify factors associated with ECG competency, including curriculum changes and student confidence.
• To provide insights for improving ECG education in medical curricula.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involving 414 third- to sixth-year medical students at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
• A validated, web-based questionnaire assessing ECG interpretation competency (8 ECG strips) and self-reported confidence.
• Statistical analyses including ANOVA and chi-square tests to compare competency across academic years and correlate confidence with performance.

Main Results:

• Overall ECG competency was low (mean score 3.23/8), with significant improvement observed in sixth-year students compared to earlier years.
• No significant difference in competency was found before and after a curriculum change.
• Work experience in medicine (OR 7.97) and higher self-reported confidence (r=0.5) were positively associated with ECG competency.

Conclusions:

• Medical students exhibit insufficient ECG interpretation competency throughout their training.
• Enhanced and repetitive exposure to ECGs, alongside competency-based educational programs, is recommended to improve skills.
• Curricular strategies should emphasize sustained focus on ECG interpretation from undergraduate to graduate levels.